Band vs DJ?

A lot of wedding bands have pretty wide repertoires - usually on their websites. We are using a trio of swing singers who will do one hour of swing (we are having casino tables so it will all add to the atmosphere!) and then they do 2 hours of cabaret which is all sorts.

My issue with bands is that people like to request songs at weddings to dance to and you cant do this with a band. Also whilst they may be a varied act they are never going to have as much variation as a dj. They can cater for every taste and age group. I do like live bands and H2B wants to have a band then a dj but im not sure we can afford to,even though our dj is a friend doing it as a favour.

We wanted a band originally, we looked around and tried to weigh up the pros and cons.
We love live music and a live band would have been great and I think they do wonders for the atmosphere. On the other hand they can make mistakes and maybe wouldn't be as good as your original song.
We figured with going for a dj who we can choose all the songs its a win for everyone and will suit the older people attending ours better as well and theres something for everyone, you get your original song exactly how you want it, plus a dj is about a third of the cost of a band in a lot of cases (most of ours anyway) so we went for that option. You do get amazing wedding bands who really get a party going but we just thought better option for ours was a dj.
Also we made sure that the dj doesn't talk through a lot, he only speaks when we want him to like announcements etc and the rest is just all music, seen too many djs speak all through and you can't even hear their words just mumbling haha..a bit like me now so i'll be quiet now ?

Some bands are able to DJ in between sets or at least play other tracks in between. Maybe look at this option as the best of both?

Personally I prefer DJs but that's only because I have such a wide love of music that it gives me the option to have lots of different songs/tunes played.

Band every time!

This! Our band was one of (many) favourite things about our wedding and again one of the things people fed back to us about enjoying.

I personally prefer a DJ, a bigger range of songs and I never really like other people's versions of my favourite tracks and would much prefer to hear the original than have a band sing it.

Agreed. They always seem to get everyone up and moving more than a DJ alone.

We're going for a band who DJ between sets.

Another vote here for a band that DJs between performances. This is what we are having as it gives you the best of both worlds.

Another vote for a band. Ours are going to dj between sets as well. Its the thing I am looking forward to most. A six piece live band!!

I think we will end up with OH's band playing a small set followed by a few of our friends who are all professional DJs (handy!)
OH is dead against playing though, so it'll likely be his Dad in his place in a dodgy old goth band, haha!

Sounds fab and personal!

I vote for the band too. Although I'll get up and dance anyway I've found the weddings I've been to with a live band seem to have a better atmosphere in the evening. It could just be that some of the DJ's have been a bit dodgy though.

We're quite lucky in that we have a lot of musicians/dancers/luvvies/DJs/bands amongst our friends and family; it's one of the few parts of the whole thing I'm not too fussed about!

Lets face it everyone has a DJ at their wedding, it's only the people who really like music and are really into live music that have a band. It's a shame as a band can be so much more entertaining and inspiring. Of course It's understandable as bands aren't cheap! Saying that nor are DJ's! bands will always be cheaper per person as your typical DJ will charge around £250 - £300. Band members are extremely unlikely to get that, so therefore they are better value on a per person basis.

Having a band doesn't mean you have to stick to one genre though, (not unless you want them to). Many professional bands will play everything from Rock/ Indie hits like "Sex on Fire" and "Mr Brightside" to Pop & Rnb like "Forget You" & "Crazy in love" as well as soul and motown like "Soul man" or "Superstition". They'll also be able to interact with the crowd far more than a DJ could due to there being more people and being more exposed to the crowd(!).

I personally think one of the best ways to go is to get a band that can DJ as well. This isn't just an advert for my own band (although I admit I am biased!). Many bands now provide a DJ service as an extra for a very small fee (often around £100) or even free in some cases. This means you get the best of both worlds - Band & DJ. As they will use the same equipment as the band (speakers and lights) there is more space available for dancing and the stage will be more spacious.

The main thing is to choose your band very carefully - there's loads of choice out there. Remember if you avoid the agents and find the bands directly you'll save around 20% straight away with no disadvantages! This can mean a big saving and that you deal directly with the band rather than through a middleman! You will also have more chance to haggle and possibly get a few extras if you're lucky!

Good luck, whatever you choose!

James.

I fail to see how having a DJ means people aren't into music or live music. theres a big difference between going to a gig and a band playing covers at a wedding. And plenty of people have bands. Its whatever people thinks works best for them.

We are hoping to have a covers band and DJ in between sets that way we get the best of both worlds.

I think bands create a better atmosphere than a DJ alone and seem to encourage people to get up on the dance floor sooner.

Hi there

After spending many years hanging around wedding planning forums, this had proved one of the hottest topics! So much so that I've written an article about this very subject. There are so many pros and cons of DJs vs bands, and many that you've probably never even thought of!

Here is my article, I hope it's helpful!

Wedding Band vs Wedding DJ

James

We had a band for one set then the DJ afterwards. You will not regret having a band

My personal preference is always for live music. Although I don't dance to either*

These people:

http://rubberbiscuit.co.uk

are very good at what they do.

(* I dance alone to the noises only I can hear)

Hi!

Go for a band that supplies both! We had a great band called The Spectrum. They actually come with their own DJ, not just a member of the band doubling his/her role!

The dancefloor was full when the band was playing and it gave a fab atmosphere, we then completed the night with the dj playing until 2am.

We loved them and can't wait to see them again at our friends wedding next year, she booked them the night of my wedding!

Good luck, and say hi to the band from Sarah Mc!

x

Yeah completely agree. I'm a huge music lover and love live bands! Some wedding bands however just aren't my thing..i'm into loads of rock music for example, however my 90 year old gran wouldn't appreciate red hot chilis or foo fighters all night so although bands do provide different genres doesn't mean they can really pull them all off. I've seen some great wedding bands and some can do a great job, but rather than take the chance of hearing of my favourite Beatles songs being murdered i'd rather have the original. It's just what works best for people and we'd never go and see a dj on a night out unless at our local rock club, forever going to see live bands but in this case it's just not our best option Pros and cons to both but I think there are great bands & great unannoying dj's...it's just making sure you don't end up with the opposite!

Everyones talking about the music.... but what if you haven't got a dancey crowd? There is a new breed of 'DJ' out there that is more of an entertainer than just someone that plays music and could be the ideal alternative for some weddings. BTW I fall into the latter!

So... just to complicate things, you have the choice of a live band, DJ or DJ/entertainer

Excellent points from both sides of the coin. Thank you

After much discussion OH and I have agreed we would both prefer a band. Having a band that can DJ between sets so that the music is a bit more varied should work well too.

Now it's just a case of finding a band. We've sent out a few emails, so hopefully they will deem it close enough to August 2015 to bother replying! Then there's just the issue of whether we can fit a band in the venue.... It's cool if people have to listen from outside right!? ?

I like the sound of these guys!

Ta very much

Hi,

I can recommend Wild Honey, from March in Cambs. If you go onto their facebook page they can send a demo disc.

lynne

Well if you need a good Wedding DJ to compliment your band https://www.jmfdisco.co.uk/ - but I must declare an interest here!